Photographic film generally comprises a polymeric base, a coating of adhesion-promoting polymer, typically a polyvinylidine chloride based resin and a light-sensitive emulsion layer, usually a silver halide dispersed in gelatin. A wide variety of techniques has been suggested for the recovery of the components of exposed or unexposed photographic film, to reclaim the component parts, particularly the silver present in the light-sensitive emulsion layer and the polymer base which is often polyethylene terephthalate. Such techniques have included the processes described in Hittel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,466, and Buser et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,602,046 and 4,612,057. However, previous techniques have resulted in separated products which are not entirely satisfactory. For example, the process shown in Buser et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,046 relates to the separation of one or more coating layers from a plastic based material using caustic alkali solution. Hittel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,466, uses caustic liquid to separate polyester based material from subsequently applied coatings. However, the Hittel et al. process is inefficient in the recovery of silver and clean polyethylene terephthalate from photographic film, and the Buser et al. patent is directed only to the separation of the polymeric layer from the base layer and not to the recovery of silver.